Charity accuses executor of misappropriating $400k from estate
A charity’s pursuit of $400,000 in missing estate funds should remind testators just how important it is to choose the right executor. According to a recent CBC news story, the…
Stepfamily growth calls for estate planning action
Estate planning should be a priority for Canada’s growing stepfamily population. With more and more people finding relationship success at the second or third attempt and welcoming their children into fresh…
$1.9-million estate goes unclaimed in B.C.
Normally when I write about a multi-million-dollar estate, it’s in the context of an ugly fight between the beneficiaries of a wealthy person that has made the news or ended…
Court allows son to pay 1985 price for farmland set in mother’s will
Anyone who has been shopping for groceries has had a recent reminder of the powerful effect of inflation. The purchasing power of your money falls as the years pass, which…
Little joy in Bob Ross’ estate battle
Anyone who has ever seen The Joy of Painting will understand why Bob Ross remains a cult hero to many. Although the PBS show only ran between 1983 and 1994…
Surprise beneficiary of $1-billion estate sparks potential litigation
Unexpected beneficiaries are a recipe for estate litigation, as the simmering dispute over a publishing magnate’s $1-billion estate shows. Following his death this summer, it was revealed that Richard Robinson,…
Senior old man elderly examining and checking last will and testament
Avoiding the hassle of administration bonds
Testators can do their bit to ensure executors don’t have to post an administration bond. Ontario’s Estates Act requires some foreign-based estate trustees to obtain a bond worth twice as…
Sibling executors revive old rivalries
There’s nothing like the death of a parent to connect adults with their inner child. While some siblings come closer together in their shared grief, I find that that they’re…
Preparing your executor for the job
Not everyone is cut out to be the executor for an estate, so it’s best to make sure your choice knows what they’re letting themselves in for ahead of time.…
Estate planning for NFTs and other digital assets
You know that a tech trend has gone mainstream when it makes it onto Saturday Night Live. Earlier this year, the long-running comedy show tackled non-fungible tokens via the medium…